


To love and be loved by the stars

by charliepoet13



Series: The Lion, The Mage and The Sheep [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Lucy goes through stress before confessing, Multi, Pre-Relationship, eventual polygamy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23252854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charliepoet13/pseuds/charliepoet13
Summary: With the rest of Team Natsu gone for a job, Lucy is left alone in Magnolia with some time on her hands. Perhaps it's time once and for all to settle these feelings she has for two certain spirits.
Relationships: Aries/Loke (Fairy Tail), Aries/Lucy Heartfilia, Aries/Lucy Heartfilia/Loke, Lucy Heartfilia/Loke
Series: The Lion, The Mage and The Sheep [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859464
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	1. The push

**Author's Note:**

> Ok while coming up with some ideas, my brain got to daydreaming about Lolu then suddenly Aries appeared? And I couldn't really let go of the idea of how cute and loving the three of them would be together, but when I went to look it up for some good fic there's barely anything? So I put on my big girl pants and wrote some myself cause damn these three are so amazing together.  
> I'm in love with this side pairing at the mo so I guess I'm writing this for me, but i do hope you enjoy it.

Life was perfect for one Lucy Heartfilia. Zeref was beaten and gone, her book had been published and was starting to sell out to her pleasant surprise. She had a caring family both in her guild and in her celestial spirits, they shared a bond and love like no other and it only made her stronger. Her prospects were great and her future could be really anything she wanted. There were no problems...well maybe a slight problem when it came to love and how much she should be feeling for those around her, specifically her spirits...well  _ two  _ spirits in particular.

Yes, Lucy Heartfilia, whose whole life was ahead of her... just had to go and fall in love with both Loke and Aries at around about the same time and it made her want to tear out her hair.

She was once more in the guild, once more waiting for her friends to arrive so they could start a job, once more thinking about how terrible this all was. Not only had she fallen for a celestial spirit, a being arguably far out of the reach of mere mortals anyway, but she’d fallen for two. How greedy or self absorbed was she? Either her heart couldn’t make up its mind and was much too finicky for its own good  _ or  _ her head was so large she believed herself worth not just one immortal being but two. She wasn’t sure which delusion was worse, or which made her the worse person.

She groaned onto the wooden table, face in her arms as her brain overthought this issue. There had to be a way to solve this right? She couldn’t be greedy and have both, despite the many fantasies the nighttime provided her, so what could she do? There was a thud beside her and she lifted her head to see Erza had joined her at her table, her face a picture of strict concern. 

“Are you alright Lucy? Did you have enough sleep?”

She sighed, sitting up properly but not able to manage a smile for her friend, which was a shame in its own right.

“I’m alright. I slept fine I just...I guess i’m overthinking something, it’s ok”

“Would you like to talk about it? I’m always here for you if you need it”

“I know Erza, but it’s not something I want to trouble anyone else with”

A sturdy hand went to her shoulder, a warm, non judgemental gaze. Erza had really welcomed her role as a guardian of Fairytail and she personally oversaw that everyone was kept happy and safe. No problem was too large or too small for her family, it was normally very admirable, now it was just annoying.

“It won’t be a bother, it would be best to tell me now though, before the rabble comes”

That was true, if she was going to eventually break down and tell Erza about this, she didn’t need Natsu’s loud mouth reporting it to everyone in the local area. This probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but she’d kept this in for so long it was probably getting a little unhealthy. She  _ had _ started summoning them more and more for battles, even letting them stay a little bit afterwards, just for some time with them, it was getting out of hand. If this helped cool her off or feel even a little bit better, it was worth a shot.

“It feels a bit awkward to just come out and say it...but beating around the bush seems a worse idea.” She sighed, giving herself a moment to try and pluck some courage from nowhere. “But I’m in love with two separate people. I have no idea what to do, I’m certain my heart beats for both of them, but surely I should just pick one?”

There was a beat as she took in the response, clearly doing her best to think this through to better help her friend. 

“It doesn’t surprise me, that with a heart as large as yours, that you found yourself finding the best in two people and loving them. I’m assuming these are people you get to spend a lot of time with?”

She shrugged, trying to not disclose the fact they aren’t even human just yet. One step at a time Lucy, reveal that you’re actually crazy one step at a time. 

“I do spend quite a bit of time with them, I’ve upped that time recently actually but it’s definitely not frequent. I don’t meet up with them as often as I do with everyone else and one on one time with either is practically non existent. The unique situation we’re all in prevents us having a lot of time together.”

“But do they know each other? Discussing this with them both might be a good idea”

“They know each other but I definitely can't tell them about this! At least, not right now, while I’m all messed up. They’re best friends basically and I can't unload this onto them until I have my mind and heart sorted, what if I upset them? I don’t know how they’ll react so I need to be as calm and truthful as possible when the time eventually comes to choose...But choosing is so hard Erza” She groaned, perhaps a little dramatically, as she laid her head back, resting it against the top of the chair. “He’s so romantic, not that I tell him his flirting works, he could literally and figuratively sweep me off my feet with such ease. He’s quick with a one liner, but he’s also so sincere. I have no doubt that even if the love he feels for me is platonic, it’s incredibly deep. He truly cares for me and wants to protect me. He makes me feel safe, like if he’s by my side nothing can go wrong. He’s also incredibly handsome and clearly works out. He has abs that could make you drool but that’s just a plus I think, I’m not about to confess my love for them, but it’s hard not to imagine being held against them at night. Moving on, I love her for almost the opposite reasons really, it’s so weird”

“Her?”

There was a small amount of surprise on her friend’s face and she felt herself get a little tense, oh yeah, she hadn’t mentioned that yet.

“Yeah I...I love a man and a woman, I’ve found myself attracted to both genders before...It’s never really needed to come up and we’ve been so busy with one world saving job after the other it never really seemed relevant to mention it, so umm…”

The hand moved from her shoulder to take her hand.

“You don’t need to explain yourself Lucy, it’s my fault for assuming and not asking for clarification. I’m glad you’re so comfortable in yourself to tell me this, so what’s she like then? You said she’s different?”

The tension left her at the easy acceptance she was shown, it was nice to get that off her chest, the small crush she had had on Erza when they first met though could stay buried deep inside forever. She nodded, mind easily returning to its current favourite subject.

“Yeah she’s really adorable you know? While he could be on the cover of some sketchy magazine, she’s much sweeter. She’s incredibly cute and seeing her I just want to sweep her up into a giant hug and keep her in my arms forever. She has such a kind heart and tries her best but she can be spooked so easily. I just want to pick her up sometimes and protect her from the world you know? But even though she’s trembling she will still stand by my side and fight, there’s a bravery in her that I don’t think even she sees and that’s such a shame. I really do wish she’d believe in herself more, that she’d see the amazing person I see. You know, It’s weird, while I want him to sweep me away like a princess, I want to do the same to her. I want to treat and spoil her and really care for her. Is this weird?”

“No, I just think you happen to have different tastes that are being met by the both of them, there are many possible reasons why you could want a certain relationship with one person. But hearing you talk about them both you had such a reverent tone, you care for them both deeply that’s clear. I suppose asking them to be together with you is too much to ask?”

She flushed a deep red at the mere proposition of them all being together as lovers. Surely that was way too greedy? Asking them both to go for it might make them uncomfortable, they were clearly very close friends with a rich history, asking them to make the jump to the next stage just for her is a bit...What if they don’t see each other that way? Or maybe they are already dating and haven’t told anyone and she’d just be interrupting a good thing and-

“Lucy! You’re panicking, please calm down. I’m sorry, I just wanted an answer that makes you happy, but I see now that it’s more complicated than that. So please, breathe.”

She does just that, always following her lead, she starts to take slow breaths as she calms down, the mages of them both looking at her disgusted floating away to probably be brought up another time in a nightmare.

“I understand Erza, but that’s probably not a good idea. Considering how close they are, it could put a strain on us all”

“Hmm alright then, if you can't have both you’re going to need to make a choice. I won’t have you playing them for fools and messing with their hearts, you understand me?” The sharp glare immediately had her straightening up and nodding, a little offended that she thought she was capable of playing them like that. “We’re going away on a job, so why not stay and take this time for some one on one time with them both? Talk to them and see them outside of battle or the romantic image you have for them. I’m not saying you don’t love them both, but try to figure out which one it is that you want to spend your life with. I know the few days we’ll be gone is a short time to do this, but if you can then you can confess without guilt. Then you’ll get your answer to this whole mess one way or the other.”

That sounded like a solid strategy, you can always rely on Erza for that, but there was one issue with it.

“What if all this does is make my love for them both deeper and I get to the end of the time limit even more confused?”

She frowned in response, doing her best to be direct but also supportive.

“Then I suppose we’ll be having another conversation. But I really do think that if you’re still confused you should get them together and at least tell them what's happening. Let them know what you’re feeling and that you’re doing your best to work it out. If they are as supportive as you say I’m sure they’ll understand, perhaps even willing to help you. I believe that to be the simplest option...but I know the heart doesn’t always go for that, so all I can say is I’m here and do your best”

A part of her really wanted to go for it, for this heartache to be over, for good or for bad. Another, much larger part, was a coward.

“But Erza, book sales or no, I need these jobs to keep the landlady happy, my rent needs to be paid.”

“I’ll cover it this one time”

“...You’ll what?”

Should she really be so surprised she was willing to go to this extreme?

“I’m the one making you stop working, so i’ll pay for this month's rent, I make more than enough to cover it, don’t panic. Just go and have fun, if nothing else, enjoy your time with them without worrying. You owe both yourself and them that. Be a little selfish for once alright?”

She wasn’t sure if Erza understood just what she was asking here, but she had a point. If she spent a day with Loke or Aries overthinking every little thing they’d pick up on it. Then they’d worry about her and it would sour the mood of the day. She had to see this as just an opportunity for a fun day out, her heart could wait until after.

“...Alright, I’ll try it”

“Great, off you go then”

“What?”

“You shouldn’t waste a second, I’ll tell the others that you’re taking a few days off for yourself, blame it on the stress of becoming a famous author. I could give you a week before their curiosity and worry overpowers even me, so get to it”

“What? But-”

“Don’t think about it. Oh, and good luck Lucy”

With that a door slammed shut in her face. How was she already outside?! Well she could marvel about the mysteries of the well-intentioned Erza Scarlet at a later date. She apparently had the more pressing issues of the heart to tackle.

She could already feel the headache starting to come on.


	2. A day out with Loke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy starts Erza's plan with a day out with Loke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been really motivated to write for this at the moment, I think it's the bit of sweetness I need to get through work.

She quickly moved from the guild, down the path and deeper into Magnolia. The plan would be foiled immediately if she was caught outside and she owed it to Erza’s goodwill to at least try. Well her goodwill and patience, it required both to deal with an upset Natsu and he never did like going out without the entire team. His caring brother-like attitude earned her respect, but his ability to meddle frustrated her to no end, she just hoped Erza could keep him contained.

She stopped once she felt she had gotten far enough into the city to be safe, taking a deep breath and removing all thoughts of her guild and guildmates from her mind, now was not the time for this!

She reached for her keys, debating who to see first before deciding on Loke. He was free spirited enough to just accept she wanted to spend time with him at face value. Aries thought a lot harder about the situations she was in, a by-product of her nervous nature and she did not want to set that girls radar off this early into the plan. Deciding on a course of action, she pulled out his key, staring at it for a moment before relaxing into a familiar magic.

“I open the gate of the lion, Loke!”

Just like that he stood before her, gold sparks shining off of him as he fully appeared in this world. His eyes darted, spotting no threat to his master, so he relaxed, a small tilt of the head and wide smile. You would think him an idiot who didn’t care if you never bothered to notice all the minute movements he made.

“To what do I owe this marvellous pleasure my love? You don’t normally summon me for no reason”

The pet name didn’t even register as she tried to come up with an excuse.  _ I should have thought of that first!  _ She knew that, or she could have at least asked Erza- Oh wait, she’d already given the perfect excuse.

“Apparently Erza thinks I’ve been working too hard with the new book and all the jobs I’ve been taking. I’ve been told I must take this week off or she’ll force me to. I’d rather not tempt her into forcing me, but I’m going to be a little bored and lonely on my own, would you like to spend some time with me?”

The beginnings of a smile started to appear on his face, before being chased away by doubt. His gaze pierced her as he tried to work out what was going on.

“Why didn’t you simply ask one of the other members of Fairytail to keep you company? I’m sure Levy or Cana would love to spend the day with you”

“Because they’re busy? I took some time off but they didn’t, most of the guild right now are taking jobs or at least looking, I can't interrupt that. Besides, maybe I want to spend some time with a spirit?”

“And you chose me? Sorry I’m so suspicious, it’s just I thought I annoyed you in large doses. I honestly never thought we’d spend a day together so I’m really hyped but also really panicked that I’m dreaming”

The frustration that had slowly begun welling up inside her burst, taking the wind out of her sails. He thought he annoyed her? Sure his flirting could be really badly timed, that did bug her, but he wasn’t irritating or anything. She got closer to him, trying to convince him of her sincerity.

“I don’t find you annoying or bothersome. Your timing could use a little work but that’s about it. I honestly want to spend some time with you, as long as I’m not interrupting something important?”

“No! Nothing important. Not that anything would be more important than a day out with you”

“You’re such a smooth flirt, able to bounce right back, even after I just told you your timing was off”

“I’m your smooth flirt, besides-” He gently took her hand in his own, kissing it softly before smirking at her. “-the only way i’ll get better is through rigorous practice right? I suppose I’m forced to flirt with you more often then”

He let out an exaggerated sigh but garnered no sympathy from her. She took her hand from his, there was no resistance which pleased her, and ruffled his hair. 

“I’m sure you’ll survive without the training”

To her amusement, he leaned into her touch, resting his head a little against her hand.

“But Lucy, I couldn’t survive without you, I  _ need _ to show you”

He was surprisingly serious about this, gaze cutting through her and shooting heat into her veins. Just what was going on here? Part of him seemed to want to convince her he needed her to live, while the other was leaning more and more against her hand frozen in his hair, wanting affection. She almost gave in to the temptation to rub behind his ears, just to see how he’d react, thankfully she remembered herself instead. She shot backwards a few steps, removing all contact between them. She turned to continue walking like nothing had happened, even though he was following her movements slightly dazed.

“Don’t be so dramatic! You’d survive just fine without me. There are other celestial spirit mages, one of them is bound to be able to put up with you. You like Yukino right? Enough to throw yourself at her anyway, you could always be her spirit”

He frowned at her, straightening up as he quickly stood by her, not letting her escape that easily.

“Yes there are other mages Lucy, but none of them are you. Fine I could survive without you, but I wouldn’t call it living” Before the conversation could get too serious, he grinned at her, smarmy and confident. “But why mention Yukino? Unless...it made you jealous she got all my loving?”

She flustered, blush getting worse as her heart squeezed in denial. There was no way she was jealous! Yes she had gotten agitated when he only focused on her and yes, she did close his gate early on star hill but...

Oh who was she kidding?! The idea of a female spirit mage sweeping in and stealing Loke away from her drove her insane. It also made her more disgusted with herself. She hated the way that made her want to tighten her grip on his key lest someone take it from her.

He took her silence for a response in the positive, beamng ear to ear as he got closer to her.

“Why Lucy if I had known it would upset you so, I would have only talked to you. There's no need to hold yourself back, you should have run into my arms”

Frustration rose up within her at his cheek, now he was just being mean. She huffed, reaching for her keys.

“Ok, I think it’s time you went home”

Before she could take out his key a hand covered her own. She looked up to see him smiling sheepishly, trying to look apologetic.

“I’m sorry Lucy, it’s fun to tease you, especially when I see that cute blush of yours” A quick wink, because of course he needed to add that. “But that was a bit too far, I’m sorry, I would love to spend the day with you I promise, so…”

He bit his lip, nervous about her response, but he didn’t need to be. It turned out, she liked teasing him too. She gently took his hand off hers, doing her best to ignore his shoulders slumping, before slowly taking it into her own. The look of surprise was worth any potential embarrassment as she tightened her grip. 

“Alright then, last chance, let’s go before you say something else that’s stupid”

She didn’t really have his full attention as he marvelled at their joined hands, but he nodded absently anyway.

“Sure Lucy, where are we going?”

She paused, his question throwing her for a loop, this was really poor planning on her part, probably not impressing him any. 

“Well, i’m not sure, like I said, I’ve only just found out I’m spending this time off so…”

“So your first thought wasn’t ‘what should I do?’ but ‘I should summon Loke’?”

Far from being unimpressed, he was over the moon, preening under her apparent attention.

“...You know, when you put it like that, it sounds bad”

He laughed, tugging on her hand as he started to lead the way.

“Well a first date can be casual my love, in fact I should dress for the occasion” Light sparkled around him as he changed into his ‘Loke’ form. Wearing a simple green shirt with the Leo symbol on it and some fitted blue jeans, he was certainly casual. “Let’s just have a look around”

She tried her best not to stare, but was caught by a smug lion instead. Blushing, she faced away from him, pouting slightly.

“This isn’t a date!”

He hummed disbelievingly as he started to lead her further into Magnolia, into the different stalls on display. The town was as vibrant and bustling as ever and it was calming just to watch people going on about their daily lives and it helped her not freak out about the fact they were still holding hands. He probably did this on every date right? Holding hands was normal...but this wasn’t a date! So what was up with him? Maybe he just liked holding hands? He did seem affectionate so…

“Lucy look!” She was startled by a red rose in her face, stepping back she noticed he’d dragged her to a flower stand. “A rose for my rose”

He winked at her cheekily, holding it out for her to take. Seriously, he was too smooth for his own good, if it wasn’t for the fact he probably did this with every woman ever she would have been more over the moon. Ah no, she was overthinking things again, this needed to be a fun day out, forget her nerves and smile for him. 

She was about to take the rose when he pulled it back, looking thoughtful. He turned back to the stand over, looking over the flowers.

“Loke?....changed your mind about giving me one?”

“What? No! It’s just…” He found what he was looking for, disappearing the red rose to his home, presumably into a vase or something and bought a new flower from the stand. He turned to her and presented the new flower. It was still a rose but now it was yellow, with red tips. “This fits us better don’t you think?”

He was beaming at her encouragingly so she gently took the rose from him, it was indeed pretty but why this particular rose?

“It’s lovely Loke, I’m just confused about the colouring”

“Really? Huh I thought you’d be into this kind of thing”

She shrugged nonplussed, she’d never thought to study flowers before...but if she was trying to win the heart of a romantic then maybe she should. 

“I know the basics, like a red rose is for love while a yellow one is for friendship” She stared at the bright colours of the rose once more, trying to work this out. “Since this is mostly yellow it means...a strong platonic love? You see me as a close friend?”

Her heart took a hit as she said that, she would be happy if he only saw her as a friend of course, but she couldn’t deny she wanted more. He seemed worse off however, smile slipping as he groaned.

“Not exactly Lucy, nice try though I guess.”

She panicked, feeling like she somehow had ruined something, she needed to make it better.

“I’ll look it up later I promise Loke. It does look lovely though, multicoloured flowers are their own level of beauty”

“...You still like them?”

“....Yes?”

Never let it be said that Loke couldn’t get right back up again after he tripped up. Bouncing back to his normal flair he turned back to the stall keeper, ordering a large bouquet of the roses. 

“Loke! You don’t need to do that, It’s not like I can carry it around everywhere”

“While I could argue that you deserve to have flowers all around you everywhere you walk, don’t worry, these will be waiting for you when you get home”

He took the bouquet, letting her look it over before transporting it away with his magic. She got the feeling he was planning something suspicious with the way he was whistling cheerfully. He bounced a little before continuing on, waving to the stall keeper, forcing her to follow after him.

“You’re insufferable you know that?”

“Me? Never”

She huffed, playing along with his little game.

“Well does Mr Not insufferable know where we’re going at least?”

“Weeellll I may know a few places that consenting adults can have a little fun, but that might be a little much for a first date” Her glare quickened him, flustering him a little. “Obviously you’re not interested in that kind of thing, b-but Magnolia has plenty of natural beauty to offer! We have a whole lake and  _ two  _ parks, perfect for a nice stroll. I believe the west gate park is closest, do you want to go?”

“Ah, so you can have some good ideas”

“All my ideas are good, like first buying some pastries from that cart over there”

It was probably a distraction, to pull her away from the fact that neither of them knew what they were doing, but a free piece of cake was something she’d allow to distract her. 

She had made sure he bought himself something, it seemed unfair otherwise. So they munched on their sweets as they walked to the park, mood lifting as they got closer to their target. There was something nice about being so domestic with him, she was starting to understand why Erza pushed her to relax. They walked in through the gate of the park, taking in the warmth around them. She took in a deep breath allowing the different sounds and smells to wash over her. Refreshed, she smiled up at Loke.

“Ok, this was a good idea”

“And the cake?”

“Two good ideas in a row, going for a personal best?”

“To impress you? Absolutely”

What a total dork.He didn’t need to impress her, not when they were close enough to tease each other and have fun like this. She’d rather a lover that saw her on equal terms then one that wanted to lick her boots. Besides he was plenty impressive enough already and he knew it, he didn’t need the ego boost.

They took a gentle stroll into the park, following the path around as they watched life go on around them. It was a busy park, families, couples and friends all spending time here together. There were also some lone people trying to spend some quality time alone, but this really wasn’t the place to go if you didn’t like crowds. She mentally crossed this off the list of places to go tomorrow. She was happy to be here with Loke, but if she got here during prime time with Aries, the poor spirit would probably panic. Well she could think about that later, she had to focus on Loke right now.

“...Am I impressing you? I wonder if I’m not doing enough...”

He was quiet, almost like he wasn’t expecting her to even hear him. Unfortunately for him perhaps, she did. 

“You don’t need to, you do fine just as you are. I don’t want you pretending to be more than you are or trying to change who you are to better suit my tastes. I don’t want you to forcefully cut into your personality to try and tone yourself down or whatever. Just be you and you make my day brighter, regardless of whether you impress me or not.”

He paused, thinking what she said over, before giving her a shy smile.

“Thanks Lucy, I needed that”

“I figured you did. We’re bound to annoy each other or disagree, but I like you and all my other spirits the way you all are. You shouldn’t change what’s perfect right?”

He was nodding along with her, predictably picking up on the end of her sentence, ignoring the rest.

“Perfection huh? To think you thought so highly of me”

“Right, because why would I want to change your egocentric ways?”

“Ouch, you really know how to use your claws Lucy”

Despite his words he was laughing, amused rather than insulted. He bounced as he walked, skipping slightly ahead of her in his joy. She was relieved that she was not the only one overthinking this, but was equally saddened by the fact he seemed to think he had to go all out. That he had to impress her or he was apparently failing at something? He was no less a person if the reason she enjoyed his company was more because he was a dork than if he was cool. She would have to work hard today and in the future to help him realise that. 

He stopped in front of a small pond, staring down at his reflection, grinning down at it when she stood beside him, joining him in looking over the clear water. He hummed, closing his eyes as he relaxed and she summoned up enough bravery inside her to lean into him, so they stood side by side, with her head resting slightly on his shoulder. It was enough for now, enough for them to just be.

“Whatcha thinking about?”

He shrugged, jostling her a little. He opened his eyes to stare down at her.

“Not anything really, just enjoying being here with you. I can come up with something to talk about if you like?”

She gently tugged on his arm, leading him further around the pond. 

“There’s a bench over there, we can rest our legs while we stare out onto the water, into nothing or whatever. Then you can talk about whatever nonsense comes into your head.”

He eagerly followed her lead, strolling over to the bench with her, giggling to himself.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just the idea of looking into your eyes while talking about something as mundane as the weather, it’s...a delightful image”

She blushed, it wasn’t really a flirt but the warmth in his voice still got her all messed up inside.

“We could talk about other things, like what have you been up to lately? You get a lot of idle time in the celestial spirit world, have you found any new hobbies?”

They sat down on the bench as he thought it over, nodding slightly as a mischievous grin overtook him.

“Funnily enough, Gemini have been showing me a few tricks of their trade”

She groaned loudly, already not liking where this was going. 

“Please don’t tell me they’ve taught you how to pull pranks”

“Gemini told me that while they have some great ideas, you couldn’t go wrong with a classic human prank either, humans come up with the most fascinating things when they’re bored. To make a long story short, Capricorn still hasn’t found out the source of the weird smell in his house.”

“Oh my stars Loke, please don’t torture him that way!”

She scolded him thoroughly but couldn’t get him to apologise, since it was apparently revenge for the poor goat spirit constantly trapping him into poetry reading sessions. She let him win in the end, realising it was a lost cause.

Motivated by her reaction, he went on, discussing his different interactions with her spirits. The way he enjoyed sparring with Taurus and Scorpio, the rough kind that he missed from his days in Fairytail, which he always won of course. The way he had started teasing Aquarius and Capricorn with the help of Gemini, though Aquarius was a dangerous game that had almost shortened their immortal lives. He happily talked about the training he undertook with Sagittarius and, surprisingly enough, Cancer. He was adamant that their understanding of sharp weapons and their many uses couldn’t be rivalled. He showed off a few of his horrendous dance moves that Virgo had taught him, defending his ‘younger sister’s’ taste in dance moves, even as she tried to pull him down since people were staring at them. He calmed down, settling back onto the bench when he got to Aries, smiling to himself as he spoke of their quiet days together, how they were the most relaxing times he spent in the spirit world. 

He spoke her name with such reverence she was almost jealous, but in her heart of hearts, she couldn’t stop her joy. She was so glad he got along with her other spirits, that he had a strong bond with them and that they all supported each other. Secretly, she was also really glad Loke and Aries got along well together, the hope that they could all be together burned inside her once more. Failing that, the hope they could all stay friends was seeming very likely. He beamed at her, clearly excited about what he was going to say.

“Also we’ve started reading your book together. Did you know Aries is a big fan? I am too obviously, but Aries absolutely loves your work! It’s so cute, my girls supporting each other. It makes me so happy”

He kicked his legs back and forth, swaying in his pride, his happiness. Such a small thing...yet it shot him over the moon, he was such a dork.

“I didn’t...but I don’t think she’d tell me anyway, I should thank her”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate it”

They lapsed into silence, the first in a long while. It was pleasant and allowed her to think over what she’d learnt. She’d gotten some funny mental images pertaining to her friends and she bet that Loke would be happy to gossip about them all day if she asked. Still, that wasn’t why they were here.

She stood up, tilting her head towards the exit.

“We’ve had a rest, want to go somewhere else?”

He stood up, stretching in a large exaggerated motion, allowing his shirt to ride up a little. This idiot knew exactly what that did to her, but tried to act nonchalant.

“Sure let’s go, there were a few shops earlier I wouldn’t have minded stopping at”

They walked out of the park to the sound of him talking about some cool souvenirs he’d seen and how he wondered if Gray would like one. He’d never forgotten his friendship with the ice mage and sought to prove that whenever possible.

As they continued to walk through the streets of Magnolia, her attention was caught by a small cafe. It was clearly a local business, hidden away in the corner of the street. It looked omely, but also pretty empty. She paused, weighing up its pros and cons, at least until she felt a small tap on her shoulder.

“Are you ok Lucy? You spaced out on me for a minute there.”

Heat started to rise and pool in her cheeks, how could she be so rude?! Now was not the time to think about that!

“It’s nothing Loke, just planning something else that’s all, but I shouldn’t be doing it while I’m with you”

“Why? Unless it’s a secret, saucy treat for me?”

“No! Of course not! Don’t be gross” How could he fluster her so easily? He gave her a look, waving his hand in a clear message of ‘go on’. He wanted an explanation that badly? Fine. “I was just thinking of spending my spare day tomorrow with Aries, that cafe would be a perfect place to take her as it’s not too crowded”

He followed her finger, eyeing up the cafe before nodding in agreement. 

“You’re right Lucy. Why, I can imagine it now. You, me and Aries, the whole cafe to ourselves, gossiping and eating together, you’re so cute to come up with such an accommodating idea, she’d love it”

“...I was going to spend tomorrow with just Aries, she doesn’t seem to get treated a lot by her owners so I thought it would be nice for her”

“Ah...right of course...It would have been nice though”

Why did he seem so wistful? It was just a day out with her and Aries, was it really so important to him? Would Aries like a day out with the two of them? 

“We could spend a day out another time? I didn’t realise it would bother you this much”

“It’s no bother to me one way or the other but…” He actually looked away from her, suddenly shy when asking something of her. “If it’s no trouble for you I...I would like it if the three of us hung out together more. I would even summon myself and use my own magic to keep me here if it was going to put a strain on you”

He faced her once more, determined to try and make his case, but she honestly didn’t need that much convincing.

“Sure, i’ll try and work out a schedule for us to be around each other more but please don’t push yourself too hard”

He ignored her warning, too elated to care as he hugged her. He also ignored her flustering as he cuddled her closer.

“Thank you Lucy, that means a lot to me and I’m sure it’ll mean a lot to her too. You’re so thoughtful you know? To put up with all my selfish wishes the way you do. I should treat you to something”

He was such an idiot, but she loved him so, all this had done was confirm that. Following Erza’s advice she allowed herself a moment of selfishness and hugged him back, allowing herself to be pulled tightly against him. She did her best to not allow her heart’s loud beating to affect her voice.

“Hasn’t this whole day been you treating me to something?”

Unlike her, he had nothing to hide and the joy in his voice was clear as day, he was over the moon from such a small display of affection.

“Yes it has. However, we still have some hours of daylight left, so that’s precious treating Lucy time I’m wasting!”

He was hugging her! He was wasting no time at all but she couldn’t say that, not just yet, not until she was completely sure of everything. It was with a feeling of mourning that she allowed him to pull away, though he didn’t go too far. His hand tightly gripped hers, not really wanting to let her go either. 

“Let’s go, I can think up at least ten different things to do in this area alone and I need you to experience all of them!”

He started tugging her along, getting caught up in his excitement.

“Loke! They’ll be gone all week, we can have more then one day together”

He stopped dead in his tracks, still for a moment, before his shoulders started to shake. For a brief moment she thought she’d upset him but then he turned to face her. If she thought he was happy before, then at that moment he looked downright manic with his delight. 

“You’ll summon me more this week? For some more one on one time?”

“...Yes? If that’s alright with you? I planned to spend this week with you and Aries, I wanted to treat you both. I can spend other weeks in the future with my other spirits so this ones for you two”

“So...then we’ll spend the next few days together just the three of us?!”

He was almost like a puppy at this point, bouncing on his feet in an attempt to not run around.

“I want to spend tomorrow with Aries, remember? But if the both of you don’t mind then-”

“So I have part of a day left to spoil you then an Earthland day to plan how to spoil the both of you, alright. I’ll take this seriously, you can count on me!”

“You don’t need to-Ah!”

She was interrupted by him picking her up bridal style, he really enjoyed doing this too much. His smile was like the sun and she was starting to get swept along with him.

“I want to do this Lucy. I’m going to make this the best week of your lives”

“What about you? It’s only right that this is your best week too”

He was shaking with so many emotions she couldn’t place or even guess at, bursting with such positive energy. He nuzzled the top of her head, doing his best to keep his flooding affection from drowning them both. 

“I’m about to spend the week with the brilliant women in my life, my favourite girls. This will be perfect for me, trust me”

He was flirting again, it was almost autopilot for him she was certain, words he said without truly thinking. Still, she knew his heart was in the right place and the thought of spending a day with two close friends was probably filling him with excitement. He was too affectionate and needy for his own good, but a part of her wanted to really indulge him. She wanted to sit with him, holding him close while she lazily played with his hair or something along those lines. 

She shook herself out of the fantasy, placing herself into firm reality. 

“Well if you insist, let’s go!”

“Yesss, thank you my love! Watch out Magnolia, we’re going to paint this town red!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is our favourite Lamb spirit, I'm sure those two are going to have a fun day out!


	3. A date with Aries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy spends her next free day with the lamb spirit, will it go as smoothly as Loke's?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for how slow I've been to write, with how much work I've been doing lately I've been very unmotivated to write.  
> However I do hope everyone is doing ok in light of the current events, please all keep yourself safe.

The day she spent with Loke had been amazing. As promised he had ended the afternoon treating her to some of the highest dining she had ever tasted. It was honestly too much, but any amount of arguing on her part had been waved away by him and so she had ended that evening thoroughly wooed, not that she'd let him know that. Then to top it all off, she’d arrived home to find the roses he had bought in a lovely glass vase, he’d really spoiled her.Finding out that the roses meant ‘falling in love with a friend’ had killed her off, allowing her to fall asleep much more confident then she'd started the day.

Now was a new dawn, a new day and while her heart beated soundly for Loke, it was also reminding her of her love for Aries. How her mind had wondered to the sheep spirit, especially when her name had been spoken so softly by him. She needed to be fair and spend a day out with her too, thankfully she had planned a bit more for this one.

She got dressed in her white and blue shirt and skirt combo then stepped out of her apartment, feeling the sun shining down on her. It really was a lovely day, perfect for spending time together with a loved one. She flustered at her own thoughts, she was getting a little ahead of herself. Aries had to actually see her in that way first.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she pulled out the lamb’s key, readying herself before summoning her.

“I open the door of the ram, Aries!”

The shy sheep’s entrance wasn’t nearly as flashy as Loke’s, but she still arrived in a shower of gold nonetheless.

“H-hello Lucy. What do you need?”

As usual she was curled in on herself, trying to seem small, hopefully today gave her a boost in confidence.

“I want to spend today together if that’s alright? After everything that has happened I think we deserve some time to spoil ourselves but only if you want to of course”

She seemed startled, eyes wide as she tried to process what had been said.

“Y-you want to spend time with me?”

“Yes, if that’s alright, I won’t force you”

She’d like Aries to accept the invitation, but putting stress on her wasn’t the intention. In the end her spirits were free to do whatever they want, even turn her down. Before her thoughts could get too morbid, she got a quiet response.

“....Ok”

“It’s ok?”

She nodded in response, taking a deep breath to try and round up all her courage.

“Yes, it’s ok. I want to spend time with you too”

She bit her lip, more than likely examining her words to see if she had been too demanding, too aggressive in her approval. Once more the familiar feeling of wanting to knock some sense into every owner that had ever abused this spirit’s trust washed over her, it took everything in her to smile and not grimace at Aries, she didn’t deserve that.

“Then let’s get started! I have some places I want to go to but if you have any ideas please let me know ok? This is your day too and I want you to enjoy it”

“...I will... enjoy it I mean.”

She was so cute as she apparently psyched herself up. She felt a little bad she had caught her spirit offguad but she seemed to be taking it well? She held out her arm for Aries and was delighted when she slowly linked her arm in hers. She got closer, sticking to her side. She grinned encouragely at her before starting to lead the way, Aries following beside her.

“Alright then, let’s go!”

They strolled through Magnolia’s streets at a slow, but steady pace. They’d get to their destination in their own time, so they could relax and enjoy the sights a little. She enjoyed just chatting with Aries, talking about whatever came to mind.

“Ya know Magnolia is quite peaceful this time of the day”

“Yeah...it’s nice to see all the animals that come out to play when there’s no people about”

She pointed up to some birds resting together on a rooftop, it looked sweet in it’s own way.

“You like animals Aries?”

“Yeah, it’s usually easier to have a calm moment with an animal. Some humans are too wild and restless for me to handle...I wish they’d come down”

She looked around, the only people out this early were people going to work and opening up stores, but it still seemed to be too much hustle and bustle for them.

“I think they’re resting together, it’s probably for the best they rest up.”

“Yeah...probably..”

She gently tugged Aries away and to a small clothes shop, standing in front of it with a grin on her face.

“What do you think? Want to accessorise a little? I’m not sure when the last time you were able to do something as simple as treat yourself, so pick what you like, it’s on me”

“I-i couldn’t!”

“Please Aries, if you don’t want new clothes that’s fine but I want to spend some...perhaps more girly time with you. I don’t really get that with the others, combine that with the fact I believe you deserve a treat and well...this was one of the first ideas I came up with”

“....Alright, but don’t spend too much on me please, I don’t want to trouble you”

She tried to be encouraging, holding her hands and smiling softly at her.

“You don’t trouble me at all, I want to do something nice for you, I want you to be happy”

Because her smile was one of the softest, most lovely-

“You sound like Mr Leo”

-Oh stars she was starting to sound like him wasn’t she? at least she wasn’t flirting with every breath but still, it was a little embarrassing.Is this how he felt when he spoiled her? She could suddenly understand the appeal, maybe she should be a little more accommodating? Nah, she should still tease while appreciating the attention.

She hummed in thought, nodding slightly.

“Well if he tells you that you deserve to be spoiled, then it’s one of those rare moments when he’s actually right. But don't tell him I said that ok? I don’t need him holding that over my head, he’s insufferable enough as it is”

To her sheer delight, she earned a small giggle in response.

“OK, I won’t”

“Thank you, so now, are we heading in?”

“...Alright...and thank you Lucy”

She smiled softly and her heart skipped a beat. Oh this woman was so sweet! The temptation to hug her was almost a little overwhelming, but she pshd it down and led Aries into the store.

The small store had a nice collection on display, from shirts to dresses, from skirts to jeans. She could definitely find something in here, for the both of them. She didn’t just want to treat Aries after all, her wardrobe needed something new too.

“So, do you want to split up and look for something? We can show off what we found after we try some things on?”

She took a quick look around, there didn't seem to be many people in the store, so she should be fine. Aries nodded beside her, standing up a little straighter as her eyes roamed over the clothes in front of her.

“Sure, I think I see a few things to try”

She shot off, already seeming to know what to look for. Well If she was certain then there was no need to question her, rather, she should go and try some things on herself. She checked what they had for sale, mentally weighing the pros and cons of each outfit before spotting something she absolutely had to try. She quickly went to a changing room to switch into her choice. 

She looked into the dressing room mirror at a dark blue, short sleeved shirt, a perfect fit for the summer weather. What had attracted her though were the small, silver stars decorating the shirt, it seemed a bit on the nose but that was the point of having fun right? She’d probably only wear it for her spirits anyway soooo…

It didn’t take a lot of convincing for her to buy it and have it bagged by the store clerk, it was a bit of money to spend on an inside joke perhaps, but she was satisfied. Bag in hand, she did a quick search, but couldn't find Aries on the shopfloor. She moved back to the changing rooms, an awful feeling starting to gnaw at her gut.

“Aries? Are you in here?”

There was a clatter of movement and she almost started to panic, but a voice responded to her calming her nerves instantly.

“I’m in here, can you give me a second? I’m trying something on”

“Sure, let me see it when it’s on Aries”

“...OK”

There was more shuffling so she sat down on a provided bench, waiting kind of patiently for Aries to appear. She finally opened the door and timidly stepped out of the changing room. She heard herself gasp, she didn’t need to be timid, she looked lovely. 

She stood there in a cute summer dress, a warm green, decorated with yellow flowers. It suited her, all she needed was a summer hat to match and she’d kill that look. The thought appeased something inside her, perhaps for a gift she could buy her one? How long could she wait to get away with such a thing? She was pulled out of the image of her on a grassy hill in the full outfit by the spirit herself.

“D-do you like it?”

Like it? Definitely. She smiled as she nodded, clasping her hands together.

“I do, it looks lovely on you Aries, is this the one you want?”

“Yes!...P-please, if that’s ok!”

The spark that had been in her eyes dimmed at the thought of being potentially rude. Honestly, if she thought being overzealous was rude, she would really be surprised in Fairytail. 

“Of course it is, you get it back on its hanger and we’ll go buy it”

“Thank you! I’ll be a second”

She ran back into the dressing room, coming back in under a minute in her usual outfit. The dress was in her hands on a hanger. 

“Alright, hand it over, I’ll go buy it”

She dutifully handed it over before moving closer to her and giving her a small hug before backing off. It was so quick she couldn’t react, but she knew the lamb spirit had put her feelings into it. Newly motivated by her happy friend, she quickly got the dress paid for, giving the spirit the bag so she could move it to the spirit world. She stared in fascination as she once more saw something disappear in a cloud of gold.

“Where do clothes go exactly? In the spirit world I mean”

“Oh well...we do have a wardrobe in our homes. We started out with clothes that matched us, but if we want we can buy new ones, or steal them I guess…As long as we own them then we can change into them at will”

“Kinda like Erza and her requip magic?”

“Yeah, exactly like that”

Huh, how interesting, she wondered if there was no limit to that kind of thing. As they left the store her mind wandered to what other things the spirits could possibly store a ton of in their homes, and what those homes actually looked like, when Aries stopped beside her.

“One second, i-i’ll be right back”

“Alright?”

She was confused, but she didn’t question it, if she wanted to go back in she could. She leaned against the store, idly waiting for her to return. She bet Aries’s home had very soft decor, inviting colours and cute furniture. In fact, thinking deeper on it, she bet all their homes were built differently and looked completely distinct, to show off each of their unique personalities.

She was mentally designing each of their homes, probably over exaggerating in some places, when Aries returned to her, holding a small box.

“F-for you, to say thank you for taking me out today”

Surprise followed by affection flooded her body, leaving her feeling all fuzzy inside. 

“Thank you, you didn’t have to-”

“I saw some jewelry at the counter...I thought it suited you so, please?”

Her eyes darted down to the offered box, then back up to her face, she seemed so nervous, yet so determined. She wouldn’t let her thoughtfulness go to waste, so she took the box.

She gently opened it to reveal a silver bracelet, taking it out she noticed it was a charm bracelet, with three charms already attached and some empty loops so she could make her own choices. She tossed the box into her bag with her clothes, so she could properly examine them. 

“I picked charms I thought you’d like. The lady at the counter said that charms can all have their own meanings, so these are the ones I went with. The sheep is for me and our friendship….I hope that wasn’t too cheeky”

She fingered the sheep charm, smiling softly as she shook her head.

“Not at all, i’m glad actually. That our friendship as important to you as it is to me”

Her words flustered her, causing her to blush and stutter as she tried to continue her explanation.

“I-i felt a little selfish...so the star charms for all your spirits. It’s to remind you that we’re all here and that we all love you, we want to be there for you. Then the heart is because you love us all back. You treat us all so kindly, like equals, I wanted to thank you for that”

There was a moment of silence, as she put the bracelet onto her wrist, admiring it for a moment, before walking up to Aries and hugging her tightly. Squeezing all her affection for her and her spirits into that hug, she hoped she understood how she felt. It took a second but she responded, hugging her back lightly.

“I don’t have the right words, but thank you, I truly appreciate this and I appreciate all of you”

They stayed there for what felt like the most peaceful minutes she’d had in a long time. Before finally she pulled back, readily holding her arm out for Aries’s and was pleased when she grinned and linked her arm in hers.

“Right so are you getting hungry? I saw a cafe we could go to, or maybe we could look around some more?”

“Um not really? I could eat but I don’t think I’m ready for a full meal, maybe after we look around some more I’ll be hungrier”

“Ok, later it is then, let's go find something fun”

Her stomach rumbled in protest, she really could have used some food now, but if she wasn’t ready there was no point ordering a meal she’d have to force down or not eat. They started to make their way down the streets as she tried to ponder the issue of ignoring her stomach in favour of Aries. This really shouldn’t be hard but, she had rushed out of the house ignoring breakfast to be with the spirit. They passed a bakery and her thoughts turned to yesterday, surely she could treat herself a bit now and have some space left over for dinner later? They were going to do a lot of walking around so her appetite would come back.

“Do you mind if we stop for a second? I want to get a quick snack to tide me over until later” 

“Oh, we can go to that cafe if you want”

“Do you want a meal?”

“....No”

“Then wait here, I’ll be right back”

They stopped in front of a water fountain in the centre of town, Aries sat on a bench in front of it, watching her as she quickly made her way into a nearby bakery. After a quick purchase she rushed out carrying a small paper bag. She was still sitting there waiting, though she was now staring at the fountain, she looked so serene. She was off in her own world, smiling at something only she could know. She almost didn’t want to ruin her moment of calm.

“Jewel for your thoughts?”

“Huh?....Oh! It’s nothing…”

And just like that, the moment seemed gone, she shouldn’t have said anything, but she would have looked like a creeper just standing there! She looked away, gaze focusing on the fountain, an idea forming in her brain to help bring back the peaceful atmosphere.

“Would you like to make a wish?”

“A wish?”

She nodded her head towards the beautiful water feature.

“Yeah, it’s a Fiore thing, though maybe it’s practiced around the world? Anyway it’s believed if you think of a wish while you toss a coin in, that wish will come true.”

“That...sounds nice, it’s like wishing on a star...human beliefs can be interesting...at least when it comes to things like this. Ok, I will”

She got up and they made their way to the fountain. She held both of her bags in one hand while she fished out two jewels for them to throw. She ceremoniously handed one over to Aries, before holding tightly to her own. 

“Ready?”

“Yes”

She closed her eyes, scrunching them up as her fist curled around the Jewel.

_ I wish for the three of us to be happy, one way or the other. Please, give them that, they’ve been through too much already. _

Keeping her feelings and emotions close she tossed the coin into the fountain, hearing and seeing a small plop as Aries tossed in her own. She beamed to the small spirit, moving her bags to one in each hand.

“Sadly I can't tell you my wish or it won’t come true, but I hope yours does”

“I hope yours come true too”

_ So do I. _

She sighed, reaching into her paper bag to munch onto a jam bun. Between bites she spoke.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so impulsive today, I thought I’d had this all planned out, but I get the feeling I’m just going to be dragging you around everywhere”

“I don’t mind, even if all we did was sit in your home all day, I enjoy time with you. You really are a kind owner”

“Friend, I’m a kind friend”

“Ah, right, sorry”

She hadn’t meant to make her uncomfortable, the correction had been instinctive, caused by all the times she’d corrected Loke and Virgo. 

“Don’t be, I enjoy time with you too by the way. Want a pastry? I got an assortment from the bakery, there was four but man that jam bun was delicious, I may take something else, so if you want something best eat it now”

“Hmmm ok, I will take one”

She reached in and took a cinnamon roll, pulling it away to take a tiny bite out of it. Huh, well wasn’t that a little on the nose? She kept her bubbling amusement inside, not wanting to confuse her, she pulled out a pretzel and nibbled on it. They moved back to the bench to eat their treats, her belly grateful to finally be fed. Her eyes made their way back to the ram spirit and how she’d moved a little further away, not having to cling so close anymore.

She had noticed it was taking less and less time for Aries to become comfortable and secure after being summoned, she was slowly building up her confidence. She hoped there came a day when the lamb spirit would be relaxed from the moment of being summoned. A self assured Aries, even if it was only during one on one time with someone, was a goal to aim for, she felt. She looked forward to that day. Perhaps Loke’s little idea to have them all hang out wasn’t a bad one after all, it could really help boost her confidence. The three of them hanging out together, relaxing and having fun...yeah that was a wonderful thought. 

“There's something I need to ask you. Loke wants me to summon the both of you these next few days so we can all hang out together. I’m more than happy to do this but what do you want?”

She looked surprised, facing her with wide eyes.

“He does? With the both of us? Are you sure?”

“I’m pretty sure, he seemed over the moon at the idea actually. He’s promised to spoil us both, so watch out for that, you know how over the top he gets. He’s so excitable, almost like a puppy rather than a lion.”

She heard a snort beside her that was quickly covered up by giggles. The amusement was catching and she couldn't help but giggle along. 

“You’re not wrong, he is a little silly isn’t he?”

“A little?! Have you not seen how he dances?”

The giggles devolved into laughter as they teased the poor lion, he probably deserved it. Hopefully his ears weren’t burning right now, if he thought they were talking about him he’d come running.

“Still, he’s really patient and gentle with me...I was worried it bothered him or put him out, I’m happy he enjoys our time together”

“Bothers him? You don’t bother anyone, feel free to send my way  _ anyone _ who dares to say you do. For the record, it’s clear he loves you and enjoys time with you the most out of all the spirits. Why, just the other day he was gushing about reading my story with you...I hear you gave it a good review?”

“A-ah he talked about that?” She blushed a light pink, floundering under her gaze. “Yeah I ….I love your book a lot”

She closed her eyes as she looked down to her knees, clearly nervous about sharing her opinion. A strange, warm feeling curled up inside her. Perhaps pride, perhaps love, who knew? But even still, she scooted closer so her shoulder was touching hers.

“Thank you, that really means the world to me, what did you like about it?”

They shared a moment of eye contact before she looked down again, the blush not leaving her cheeks. She fidgeted with her dress, taking her time to answer.

“I liked the characters, I felt I could really relate to them and what they were going through...I really liked the plot twist too, it caught me off guard but made a lot of sense. It’s not great when books throw in random twists for no reason so I’m glad you didn’t do that”

“Yeah?”

“Mm”

She nodded, slumping a little on the bench to seem smaller, this was probably all she was going to get for now, all she was comfortable with saying, but it was a start. She probably wasn’t the type to overly gush about things, or perhaps she worried too much about her words? She could understand that feeling, maybe they had more in common then she thought.

They sat there together for a bit, as she mapped out a mental plan of this section of Magnolia and everything they could accomplish in it. Suddenly Aries jumped slightly as her attention was caught by something and she quickly snatched up the last pastry, a croissant. 

“Sorry, do you mind if I have this?”

“Not at all, go for it”

“Thank you!”

To her surprise, Aries shot up off the bench and ran over near an alleyway. She was about to get up and race after her, a feeling of protectiveness surging over her, when the spirit suddenly sat down. It took a moment of her holding up the bread and calling up to something, when a small, brown bird flew down. The bird was followed by more and soon the ram spirit was hand feeding the little birds, talking to them as she did so.

She shouldn’t have been so surprised, she had said she loved animals. Perhaps it was the fellow animal inside her that allowed them to resonate? That peaceful atmosphere she gave off calming even wild animals? Who knew, but she was content to watch as long as she was safe and happy. 

Relaxing on the bench and waiting for her to return she made a mental note.

Next time, take her to a place filled with wildlife and just take in the radiance of her smile, because it sure was breathtaking.


	4. A confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weeks coming to a close, Loke and Aries are determined to make this last day the very best. Will this help Lucy get the answers she needs?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun little AU to write for and honestly I'm tempted to do more oneshots in it. Thank you to everyone who read it.
> 
> Edited to fix a lot of spelling mistakes, holy stars you can tell I did this one on a tablet instead of my laptop I am so sorry about that.

It had been a lovely but long week. True to his word Loke had shown herself and Aries everything Magnolia had to offer. From small events in the parks to somehow a late night theatre viewing?! He had simply winked and said he had connections and wouldn’t clarify more than that. She’d been thoroughly pulled around everywhere, but she’d enjoyed their time together, they all had. But there was a slight problem with how wonderful it had all been, it had left her with this strange longing, a painful feeling that refused to be ignored but couldn’t be identified.

She looked forlorn at the beautiful vase of roses Loke had given her, placed on the table next to the bracelet from Aries. Somehow, seeing them together had made it all worse. There were a few times she’d come close to crying and she didn’t even understand why. Still, today was the last day, Team Natsu were returning tonight, more than likely victorious, so she had to make the most of this. She put on her bracelet for good luck, took a deep breath and walked out her home, who knew what they were going to get into today?

Her hand went to her keys and she felt an answering pulse of magic from Loke’s, practically begging her to summon him. 

_Someone’s excited._

Amused, she took out his key first and opened his gate. He appeared quickly, apparently having no time for theatrics today. He was still in a casual shirt and jeans, had been all week, and was practically brimming with energy. 

“Hey Lucy! Ready for the final day? It’s going to be another amazing one I bet!”

“Yes I am, i’m looking forward to whatever you have planned for us, now step back, I need to summon Aries”

“Right! Can't leave her behind!”

He was like a child, stepping back for her but unable to stand still, leaning back and forth on his heels. She once more called on her magic, allowing Aries to come through her gate.

To her delight, she was wearing that summer dress she’d bought, smiling shyly up at the both of them. She’d seen it before so was prepared against the cuteness, Loke however, was not. He openly looked her up and down appraisingly before grinning.

“Where were you hiding this little number? I haven’t seen it before. It looks really cute on you, or maybe it's just you who makes everything cute”

Smooth as silk that man, it was dangerous. Aries flustered under his praise and she couldn’t really blame her. She jumped in to stop her from overheating under the pressure.

“I bought it for her when we had that day together, I think todays the first day she's wearing it to go out...It does look good on you Aries”

Once more showing his tenacity, his grin was now aimed at her, though it was slowly turning into a smirk.

“Oh really, well you have impeccable taste my dear. Perhaps you should dress me up, or dress me down?”

He shot her a cheeky wink and she couldn't help the groan it pulled from her. You’d think being with the both of them would calm him down a little, but it only made him worse.

“Alright out with it, where are we going Loke? It better not be too exhausting, it’s been a long week and I’d like to relax”

He frowned in thought, looking her over for the first time.

“I was planning a relaxing end to the week but I’ve failed you it seems. I should’ve realised all this summoning would tire you out, I’m sorry, give me a sec”

Gold swirled around him and suddenly she felt a little less drained, her magic wasn’t being used to keep him there, but that could only mean he was using his own power instead.

“Are you sure Loke? You’ve been here a lot this week too”

He waved her off, trying to smile encouragingly at her.

“I’ll be fine, I'm made of tougher stuff than you’d think. I can last for a day out with you two easily”

“I-i could go, that way you’re using less magic”

“NO!”

Both her and the sheep spirit jumped, she hadn’t expected both her and Loke to object together. They shared a look before she started to fidget, embarrassed about accidentally scaring her.

“I want you to stay, it’s not that big an issue, I have plenty of magic left for this I promise”

“Right, besides, I want it to be the three of us together, it’s selfish but I want us to spend as much time together as possible, don’t you?”

She seemed surprised before nodding profusely. 

“I do! I-i was just making sure it was ok. I don’t want to tire you out Lucy”

“I’ll be alright” She put her hand on Arie’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “I promise, besides todays the last day I get to relax, I want us to spend it together. I’ll just go to bed early tonight to compensate”

“Are you sure?”

She gave another firm nod, making absolutely sure she knew it was ok.

“Positive”

“Alright, I...I want to spend the day with you both too, I’ve really enjoyed this week and want to finish it with you. If we can...can we spend another day together soon?”

Loke cut in, rubbing his hands together in an altogether mischievous pose.

“You read my mind Aries, I’ve already come up with ideas on where we can go next time”

“I haven’t even said yes yet you know? You’re lucky I want to as well, though next time, i’m choosing where we go”

“Oh really? Well I look forward to it”

“So do I, C-can I choose the time after that?...I-if there is one of course!”

“Sure, it’s only fair. Now that I have my next two free days booked, where are we going Loke?”

He grinned and held out his arms for them to hold, she rolled her eyes as she did so, willing to appease him to get them moving. Aries seemed a lot less reluctant and stuck close to him.

“To the train station Lucy! Today I’m taking you out of Magnolia!”

Out of Magnolia? Now she was intrigued, just what was this sweet dork planning? With growing curiosity and amusement, she nodded to him.

“Alright then, lead the way, this better be good”

“Oh, it will be my lovely ladies, I promise you both that”

The train ride had taken way too long for her tastes, the slow ride making her anticipation worse and worse. But finally, he had announced cheerfully that this was their stop, his glee apparent and catching. He had practically dragged them both through a very familiar looking town, leaving it to come to rolling, green hills. Hills she immediately recognised, a small gasp beside her told her Aries did too.

“Star hill!”

“Right you are my princess!” He finally let go of them to stand in front of them, arms spread out like he was showing it off. “Here is where you and Yukino listened to our wishes and did the best to grant them. I haven’t forgotten the kindness you showed to us, so I want to repay it”

“Loke” She huffed, hands on her hips as she tried to show how annoyed she was. “We did that because you deserved it. You had really come through for us and your power was necessary to close the Eclipse Gate, who knows how that fight would have gone otherwise”

He sighed, hands going to his pockets as he looked down.

“Yeah but you didn’t need to do that, many wouldn’t have. Besides we were just doing our part, we weren’t about to sit back and watch you get killed by dragons you know?”

Aries moved beside her, walking over to him.

“That’s true. I didn’t want anyone to die, not if I could stop it. We didn’t need to be rewarded, a simple thank you would have been enough but you…”

“Instead you listened to us and spared time for each of us even though it drained you and wore you out. It meant a lot to me, though I may have been too flamboyant and excited at the time to properly express that. So please, if there’s anything you want, tell me and I will do my best to see it come true”

“Me too! I want to help too. So if there's anything you need me to do, please say”

“But my lovely lamb” He smiled softly at her, holding her hand. “I wanted to answer your wishes too”

“And what about you Loke? What about what you want?”

She caught their attention once more and once more gave her that easy grin. How was he able to be so concerned about others? It was infuriatingly nice, Aries was no better. The two of them together were a kindness nightmare. 

“I’m happy if you two are, trust me it’s not that selfless. Making you both smile fills me with joy, I want to do this for you”

“Well if you really want to make me happy, will you relax with me?”

They seemed stunned, it was a simple request she supposed but it was what her heart wanted. This week had been amazing but it had lacked the calmness she ultimately craved. To relax with these two at her side, that was enough.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

She turned away from them, standing on the side of the hill looking out. The view was lovely, the sun was out and the clouds were too fluffy and light to block it. There was a warm breeze sweeping through that wasn’t overbearing, rather it was comforting. She sat down carefully, before fully laying back and relaxing. 

“Absolutely, I just want some us time you know? No one else around, just peace and quiet. I also want to relax before the tornado that is Team Natsu returns. I know it’s kinda boring so we don’t have to but I really don’t want to waste this view”

There was movement to her right as Aries slowly sat down beside her, putting her hands behind her as she leaned back to look up at the sky.

“It would be a shame wouldn’t it? This place is beautiful, I wouldn’t mind staying her a while”

They shared a small glance before she looked back up, a soft smile on her face. Well if Aries was at peace here then she was happy. There was a sigh before Loke flopped down on her left, dropping back to lay with his head resting on his arms.

“You make it real hard to do anything nice for you, you know that?”

She snorted, appalled that he of all people had the nerve to say that.

“You’re no better. I try to treat you to anything and you take over and somehow turn it into a treat for me. Just once I wish you’d let me make you happy for a change”

He was silent for a moment, contemplating his answer, when he finally spoke, she had to strain to hear him.

“I just want the both of you to be happy, you’re so important to me. But just for today, I’ll grant that wish. Let’s rest and relax together, no big plans, no huge outings, just the three of us existing together”

She hummed in response, closing her eyes and trying to resist the urge to hold both of their hands.

“I’d like that”

She felt Aries move to lay down beside her and an affectionate urge surged up deep inside her. She did her best to squash it, fidgeting with her shirt to stop herself acting like a fool. She tried to concentrate on her own breathing, her own heartbeat, but instead she swore she could hear theirs in rhythm with her own, she really was a goner.

“Hey, doesn’t that cloud look like a lion?”

She opened her eyes, intrigued by Loke’s glee. His arm was pointed up towards a group of clouds that did seem to be in the shape of...something? She squinted and she guessed it could be a lion, if you used some imagination and thought a lion should be more squashed together.

“I dunno, reminds me more of a kitten, like you”

“Oi, watch it, I might be laying down but I’m still a deadly big cat”

“Big cats right, though I think you’re more domestic than wild”

He pouted, huffing a little even as she giggled. At her other side, Aries tilted her head, looking at them worriedly. 

“Are you two ok? I’ve noticed you insult him a lot Lucy, he hasn’t upset you has he?”

Did she tease him a lot? She hadn’t really thought about it. Still, he flirted with her just as much she bet, so it was fair game. Still she didn’t seem to see it that way, she was starting to tense up, they needed to do something to soothe her.

“Why is it me who's done something?”

“S-sorry Leo! I didn’t mean to assume-”

“Aries, he’s teasing you. I was teasing him, relax. There’s no malice in our words, believe it or not. You should tease him too, it’s fun”

“I’m not sure I like the direction this is going…”

She lightly slapped his chest, causing him to frown deeply at her.

“Oh shush you, you like it. If we team up on you then you more than likely deserved it anyway”

He huffed before catching Aries’s eye, noticing like she had how tense the poor spirit was.

“Perhaps so, honestly the idea of you two teaming up to be stunning together is too good a thing to pass up on anyway. I can sacrifice my pride for that”

He shot them both a wink and Aries relaxed again, seeming to understand now that they were kidding. She hummed, before looking up at the clouds. 

“I wouldn’t mind if there were more shapes in the clouds, I could cloud spot all day. Are there any in particular you want to see Lucy?”

“Hmmm not really...but wouldn’t it be funny if the Fairytail symbol appeared in the sky? It would look a lot less threatening made of clouds though.”

She hummed in response before reaching her arms out. Her magic flowed through her body, creating small balls of wool at her fingertips. The wool merged together, forming an image of a lion roaring loudly. Aries smiled at the two of them, sharing her small joke, before the wool broke apart, forming into the Fairytail logo. It floated there, in all it’s pink, fluffy glory.

“You mean like this?”

She seemed timid but also proud of her art. As she should be, it looked like an exact replica, perfect in every way.

“I had no idea you could do that with your wool! That’s amazing!”

“A-ah thank you” She blushed darkly, looking away. “I prefer to make things, rather than fight, though this talent isn’t used too often by my owners…”

She sighed,lowering her hands as the wool disappeared. It was a shame, she bet she could make amazing things with her wool, even if they were only temporary. It wasn’t her fault that her owners didn’t understand her art. She took her hand, giving in to the sudden need to comfort her.

“I love it Aries, your wool looks very beautiful”

She smiled back at her, squeezing her hand, taking comfort from her owner. A moment of understanding passed through them both, before Loke just had to butt in.

“Her wool is indeed marvellous, why, want to show Lucy our combo?”

Their combo? They had a combination magic? To her surprise they both sat up, Aries shooting her a quick glance.

“Is it ok? I wouldn’t mind showing what we can do. It’s nice working with Leo”

A shy smile and blush creeped onto her face, while Loke looked over the moon, beaming at her. Well she couldn’t get between them, not when being together brought them both such joy. A part of her was curious about what they were up to anyway. She sat up, eager to pay attention.

“Sure, go for it”

Excitement sparked through the air as they both stood up, facing each other. Aries slowly moved her hands to create a ball of wool in front of her, fluffy and spinning in her hands. She gently tossed the ball to Loke, who caught it out of the sky with ease. He held it out in front of him, hands starting to glow as he called on Regulus’s power. The light swarmed his hands, before travelling through the wool and pausing in the centre, staying there, still shining brightly. The light could be seen through the wool, shining pink into the air around it. It looked so serene she couldn't help but stare.

“Wow, that’s so pretty”

He puffed his chest out with pride as he turned his head to her.

“This may look pretty, but our little combination here is like a timed light bomb!”

“What?”

Without warning, he lobbed the ball up into the sky. When it was high enough, Aries clicked her fingers and the wool faded away, releasing the full brunt of Loke’s power, bursting out as a small light explosion. Despite how far it had been thrown she still had to shade her eyes to protect them. After a moment the light died down and she could actually look up again. Her two spirits were staring at her, waiting for her opinion, well that was easy enough to give.

“That was quite the light show you two, though I bet it will end up useful in a battle too at some point. Thanks for showing me, it was awesome”

He stood a little straighter under her praise, beaming at her. Aries was a little more humble, but she still had a small smile on her cheeks, looking away flustered.

“Well of course, you put two amazing people together and they’re going to make something awesome. We’re a perfect pair as you can guess, but I get the feeling there's another brilliant pairing to be made here”

His grin morphed to a smirk and she sighed, he had been doing so well in actually impressing her too. Still she couldn’t blame him for falling back on what he was used to, what had actually worked on all those women, she just wished this habit hadn’t been formed because of…

She promptly ignored him, anger at his unfair past threatening to make her snap at him. She stood, facing Aries as she pumped herself up.

“Right, how about we come up with a combination attack Aries?!”

“U-us?!”

The poor spirit squeaked out her answer, clearly not expecting that response. She peaked a glance at the equally shocked lion, both seemed unsure about Aries being on the forefront of a fight. They didn’t have to panic, she understood now that her role was meant to be a more supportive one, she wasn’t built for the front lines and that was absolutely fine. A good spirit mage worked with their different spirit’s advantages and skills.

“Yes, together we could really throw an enemy for a loop, only if you want to though of course”

She hummed, playing with the hem of her dress as she thought of an answer. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke up.

“What did you have planned?”

“Lucy I-”

“You don’t need to worry Loke, I promise”

He frowned, stepping back, but watching them carefully. It was actually kinda cute how he looked after Aries, always watching out for her.

“Alright...show me what your idea is, I guess.”

“Right well Aries your wool can act like a smokescreen right?”

“R-right, no one can see through it”

“Well I was thinking that it would be really good for a surprise attack, either to start off a fight, or a nice distraction in the middle of one. If it looks like they’re fully wrapped in your wool I can strike, if not it’d give me valuable seconds to recuperate and think of a strategy. Seeing you morph it the way you have though, maybe you could make a tornado or something? To really keep them trapped.”

“A-a tornado? Maybe, but I’d have to keep my distance to build up the magical power needed”

“That’s fine, you’re not my shield and I’d prefer you in a more supportive role anyway, it’s where you really shine”

Behind her she could feel Loke relax, appeased by hearing she wouldn’t be fighting fist to fist, the sheep spirit seemed less tense too, thinking over her plan.

“Perhaps” She looked around before spotting a large rock resting on the hillside. “Let me try it on that”

She closed her eyes to focus, imagining the rock in front of her, fore raising her arms. Her magic once more swirled around her, forming small clumps of wall that twirled around her. Her body tightened as she tried to create more and more wool, a spinning tower of wool slowly starting to form around her.

“You alright Aries?”

She nodded in response, pulling back her arms as she breathed in. There was a peaceful moment before all at once her eyes snapped open, she pushed out her arms and breath, forcing her magic forward. Her wool followed her command, darting towards the rock and spinning violently around it, blocking it from view.

“You meant like this right?”

“Right!” She beamed, ecstatic it had worked. “While they’re trapped like that someone like Natsu or Gray could easily work with your magic to make that tornado even more of a pain. But as for me, I can do this”

She pulled out her whip, enjoying the feel of Eridanus in her hands, the power that surged through it and her. She lashed out with it, the wool accommodating her and allowing her to strike the rock several times before finally wrapping the whip around it. Seeing that as her cue, Aries dropped the wool, panting slightly as she did so. Guilt washed over her, this was meant to be a fun day out! But she also felt proud of her spirit, of them both. Proud they were able to accomplish things like this together, of how much stronger they had gotten over her time at Fairytail.

She felt a familiar pulse of magic behind her, of course Loke would try and get in on the action, or maybe he was just showing off?

“And then when the awful villain who dared hurt my two lovely ladies is tied up in your combined magic-” His hand glowed as he called on his light. In a flashy display he twirled around before punching straight ahead of him. She knew what was coming and pulled back her whip, not really in the mood to see if it could withstand this. The golden image of a lion shot from his hand, destroying the rock. “-I can do that, punishing them for good”

He grinned at the both of them, quite proud of himself, but she caught herself laughing, Aries beside her giggling quietly. He pouted at them both, clearly upset at the not so encouraging reaction.

“What?”

“You’re such a show off! It’s ridiculous”

“Really? I think it shows how cool I am”

“...I-i don’t think the twirl was necessary”

“You too Aries?!”

The aghast look set her off again. Aries, who had been about to apologise, saw that it was a joke and smiled shyly. He huffed, crossing his arms, but doing his best to hold back his own grin.

“Honestly, I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing day off, I don’t think being tormented is very relaxing”

“Oh come off it Loke, you love it really”

“....I-i am sorry if I actually upset you”

“Don’t let him guilt trip you Aries!”

He smirked, coming up between them to slug an arm around them both.

“Well if you want to make it up to me, I can think of something you can do”

Her voice came out low, a dark promise.

“Loke-”

“Ah, nothing bad Lucy. Let’s go back to relaxing together hmm” He flopped backwards onto the grass, patting the sides beside him. “I want to lay with two beautiful women at my side, that would be a dream come true”

She was hesitant, not sure she liked the way this was going. Aries seemed to have no problems however, happily laying down beside him and allowing herself to be snuggled up against him. He nuzzled into her hair, a fiendish joy swirling through him, before beaming up at her and winking.

“Plenty of space on the other side of me Lucy, come and get some lovin”

She stared down at them, unsure with herself and the situation, going over it in her mind until she realised exactly what was wrong.

“I liked being in the middle…”

She slapped a hand over her mouth, mortified by what she had just confessed, but it was too late to take back the words now, they’d heard them. Aries seemed to understand her, nodding along, whispering to herself. Was that a confession to also liking being in the middle of a cuddle? Well that would have taken some stress off of her, if it wasn’t for Loke’s dirty grin and how it hasn't slowed him down at all, in fact it only seemed to encourage him. 

“How adorable Lucy, why please, feel free to squeeze yourself up against me to fit in the middle.”

What was the score in their little game right now? She wasn’t sure but with that blow he was probably winning. She could feel the heat burning on her cheeks, not helped any by his smouldering gaze. She huffed, determined to shut him up, ignore his sultry expression and deliver a knockout punch of her own.

She took a deep breath before laying down...on him. She laid on her side facing Aries, resting along his chest, bending her elbow against his shoulder to relax her head on it.

“So Aries, anything interesting happening with you?”

“Uh….excuse me-”

She cut him off with a sharp glance. 

“Shush, floors don’t talk”

He let out a small whine that went ignored as she grinned at Aries.

“Sorry bout that, that was a strange interruption, please go on”

“Um...will he be ok?”

“N-”

“Perfectly fine, he wanted me to get closer after all”

“Right, he did” She seemed to think this over before nodding slowly. “Everything has been good with me, I’ve honestly enjoyed my time here and in the spirit world recently. You’ve been a big part of that, so thank you”

“Psh, it’s no issue” She waved her off with her free hand. “I’ve been so proud of you, you’ve come so far and grown so much. It’s been a real treat to watch your confidence bloom, I'm glad you’re enjoying yourself nowadays.”

She blushed, hiding her face in her hands.

“It's only because you’re so kind and amazing that I can be this brave, it’s easier to stand tall when you have strong people by your side”

She felt her own cheeks heat up, no doubt matching the spirits’ in tone. 

“Awww Aries, thank you, we should definitely do more together just the two of us”

She peeked out from behind her fingers, bashful but content. She could have spent the rest of the day laying there and staring at her, but someone else had other plans.

She felt his arm wrap around her waist, the other wrapping around Aries. He pulled them both as close as he could, nuzzling them both. She could feel his manic grin against her and hear it in his voice as he spoke.

“I’m sorry, I was going to be good I promise but seeing you two being so cute and sweet is just too much for my heart. I’m so glad my favourite ladies are so close, it makes my heart want to burst seeing you together, in a good way of course!”

She could feel his legs twitching in his excitement as he continued to cuddle them both. He really was just a big ball of energy and affection, it was adorable but really made her question his age. Surely age old spirits shouldn’t act like five year olds? Maybe he really was starved for affection, did his other owners not hug him? It’s all the man needed, a little bit of kindness to show you care and he’d move Earthland for you, it wasn’t hard. She almost frowned at the thought, when suddenly, Aries moved so she was hugging them both.

She couldn’t help the way her heart skipped a beat, when the fact she was pressed up against the both of them finally hit her. They were essentially sharing in one big hug right? This was normal, friends can group hug, she hugged her friends at Fairytail and her spirits all the time and yet...Love flowed through her and she needed to get out, before she did something she regretted.

She pushed against Loke’s arm, thankful when he let her go. She rolled off him, scrambling away before sitting up again. They both sat up in response, staring at her in confusion, so she quickly waved them off.

“It’s alright guys i’m fine”

“Are you sure? You seemed upset about something?”

“N-no I’m alright, positive, just starting to feel a little squashed is all”

Aries was quick to straighten up, looking panicked.

“I-i’m sorry, was it me? I shouldn’t have-”

“No! No it wasn’t...sorry I guess I just wanted the hug to end”

She felt a little ashamed to admit that, like her own problems were keeping them from being happy. But before shame could fully swallow her up, Loke nodded, humming in acknowledgement.

“That’s fine Lucy, but next time don’t act like I’m about to hurt you, you startled me. Just saying that the hug’s over is fine, I’m not going to be mad or deny you, that would be crazy. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable and I’m sorry if I did. I just love contact so much I forget others don’t...Aries has been helping me to work on that”

Oh no, she didn’t want him to feel bad. Lying probably hadn’t been a great idea, especially with how self-deprecating he was being, but the only other choice was to admit that if they hadn’t stopped being so affectionate with her she was going to end up kissing them or something. Loke loved platonic touch, he constantly had his arm around Gray or Natsu or whoever he was closest to while he was in the guild. Despite what he was saying, Aries was starting to pick up on that too. She was only physically affectionate with her and Loke at the moment and it was more subtle, like the gentle holding of hands, but it was there and it was too much. She couldn’t allow her heart to ruin that, ruin how comfortable they were with her, she’d do anything to stop that. But she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up.

“You don’t need to work on it Loke, I just need to calm down”

He looked her over and she did her best to look convincing, to look like she wasn’t freaking out on the inside. For a beat she was sure she hadn’t fooled him, fueled when he sighed. She was about to defend herself when he spoke up. 

“Alright, if you’re sure. I guess I do get a little clingy at times”

“A little?....Are you sure only a little?”

She was surprised that the comeback hadn’t come from her, but Aries. She’d wanted to comfort them both, return them to the lighthearted atmosphere, show them everything was ok, but she’d been beaten to the punch. He seemed equally shocked, looking back to her, seeing her own shell shocked expression and fully relaxing. He sent her a small smile, something to cheer her up perhaps, before he turned back to Aries, appeased once more and willing to dive into new territory with his usually shy friend.

“What are you suggesting? That I'm so cool i’m too much to handle?”

“No…” She caught Lucy’s eye, staring into her for a moment, smiling slightly. Was she also trying to calm her down? Make her feel comfortable again? These two were going to kill her with kindness one day. She looked back at him to deliver her final blow, a line taken from Lucy. “I’m saying you’re a dork”

The loud gasp from him was such an exaggeration she couldn’t help the small chuckle from her, idiots, the lot of them.

“Why, I think you’ve been listening too much to Lucy, she’s a bad influence on you”

“Or she’s right and you’re...you’re...you’re silly!”

“ _ARIES!”_

He sounded scandalised and for a moment she paused, scared she’d actually upset him with her cruel, cruel comment, but he quickly shot a wink her way and she sighed, relieved, then laughed. It was a quiet laugh, but it was beautiful to hear all the same and just egged him on as he devolved into a rant about how awful he was treated by the women in his life.

She blinked and they suddenly seemed in their own little bubble as they teased and made light hearted comments. She almost felt like an outsider, until she realised she could join them, not just now but anytime she wanted. It was hard not to imagine it, the three of them spending lazy days together, whether that be out on the town or just relaxing in her home. She could imagine them eating together as they chatted about everything and nothing, supporting or teasing each other. She could imagine looking after them both, showering them with as much love and affection as she could, while they responded in their own ways. Loke would do his best to constantly sweep them off their feet, the master of grand gestures. While Aries would be more subtle, handmade gifts, quiet time together, trusting in you as she showed she cared. Both were valid ways and she knew they would constantly surprise her.

_This is what I want._

It hit her like a ton of bricks, a sudden cold realisation, tearing at her heart. This week had been a mistake, not because it had confused her or tied her up in knots, but the opposite. It had made her feelings crystal clear, strengthened them so they could no longer be ignored or questioned. She was in love with them both and wanted to be in a polygamous relationship with them. But she couldn’t have that, could she? She felt cold, like something had pierced her heart. She had known she was too selfish, too greedy, but still…

“Luuuucyy, tell her to stop- Lucy?! Why are you crying?!”

She was crying? Her hand went to her cheek and came back wet, ah, so she was. She tried to wipe them away, even as they both came barrelling over, sitting next to her and checking her over.

“A-are you ok?”

“Are you hurt? Did I say something wrong? Did I do something wrong again? Please tell us”

She shook her head, trying to dissuade their fears while also calming her breathing.

“I’m ok, I didn’t mean to cry I promise, just got caught up in my thoughts that's all”

They shared a look before turning back to her, concern mirrored in both of their eyes. Aries took one of her hands while Loke put a hand on her shoulder, trying to see through her eyes into her worries. 

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“We’ll listen I promise….so if we can help...”

“It’s nothing, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to put a downer on everything. We should-”

“It’s not nothing if you were crying”

“Right! I want to help if I can...if that’s ok”

They both looked so adamant, a nice surprise for the sheep spirit, if only this newfound determination wasn’t aimed at her. The words danced on her lips but she pulled them back. Despite her heart and soul wanting to tell them, her mind was reminding her of the potential consequences, that they might never be this comfortable around her again. 

“I can't…I don’t want to put this on you”

“It’s no bother. If you’re worried about putting us out we won’t be and even if we are...you’re allowed to be a little selfish and lean on people from time to time you know? We just want you to smile”

It’s ok to be selfish? Erza’s words from the start of all this returned to her. She’d said it was ok to want something, that it would be alright to trust in the both of them with the truth. Of course she hadn’t known the full truth, the full history the three of them had, would that have changed her advice? There was no set of directions to follow here, which was the right choice?

“...I...I’m” She bit her lip and closed her eyes, this was it, do or die. She could lie to them both right now, it would take some doing, but they’d eventually accept it. She had a feeling a wall would probably be built up between them if she did that, or she could tell them and risk the worst. Her heart was pressuring her to tell them the truth, they deserved to know and at this point, despite how scared she felt, she couldn’t disagree anymore. “I’m in love”

They gasped, Aries was over the moon for her while Loke looked more hesitant, more questioning.

“That’s great Lucy, but why were you crying- Did they reject you? Were they harsh about it? Do I have to go and put someone six feet under?”

She was about to correct him but was surprisingly interrupted by Aries, who had cottoned on to Loke’s train of thought.

“Someone upset her...I’ll hit them with my wool a-and you finish them off”

“Got it, give us a name Lucy, don’t be shy. We’ll make sure this doesn’t get back to you”

She snorted, amused by their antics despite the tension creeping through her body. Shaking her head she found the truth came easier to her now.

“Stop being so silly, I’m in love with a spirit, that’s what got me so nervous. It’s a bit stupid really, a human falling in love with a celestial spirit...Just seems like i’m aiming for something out of my reach”

Dumbfounded was the way she’d describe them, staring at her like she’d grown five heads or something. They looked at each other before facing her, small hesitant grins on their faces.

“Who is it Lucy? Which spirit do you love? Because I can assure you that no spirit thinks you’re beneath them and would be more than willing to be your partner”

She took a deep breath, there it was, the question she had been dreading. It was time to see if she would have anything salvageable left after this confession.

“That’s the other main issue...I’m in love with you two. I’m in love with you Loke, but I’m also in love with you Aries. Even though I know I’m not really a blip on your radar Loke, what with all those women around you, I know you flirt with me to be kind. And Aries, you’re so caring and sweet yet the world has put you through so much. You deserve someone who could properly keep you safe and loved. I’m not good enough for either of you really. This whole week was me trying to get my feelings in some form of order. Well they’re in order alright, turns out i’m selfish and want to be in a relationship with the both of you, stupid right?”

If he’d looked dumbfounded before that was nothing compared to the wide eyed, slack jawed reaction he had now. His brain was on full reboot as he stared blankly. Aries wasn’t much better, openly staring as her eyes slowly started to water and she started to shake. 

Great, just great, she’d upset them! She knew this would happen, she needed to apologise, now!

“I’m-”

“M-me -”

“ME TOO!”

The little lamb spirit yelled the loudest she had ever yelled in her entire life, stunning the other two into silence. Her face was the darkest red it had ever been and she was trembling, but still she continued on.

“I-I love Lucy too! At first I was glad Leo had a kind master but you’re more than that. You begged Angel to let us be together, to stop us from hurting each other again, at the cost of your own life. Then when you won a-and I became your spirit, you always treated me with respect, like I was your equal. You’ve always been patient with me, even when I fail you sometimes. I slowly fell for you but thought for sure you loved someone else. Mirajane seemed to have a different theory each month on who you loved... “

Ugh Mira! Her meddling really causes her more trouble then the S class mage might be worth. She sighed, shaking her head, trying to convey it was all gossip, while also allowing her to continue.

“You read me perfectly back then it seems, because I love Leo too, I have for a long time but...but I’m a coward. I let past owners do whatever they wanted, even if it meant hurting me or making me a burden to my friends. I was certain he didn’t love me either because of that, well I thought for sure he loved me like a little sister and that’s all. Also what you said is true...he attracts women by the hundreds, it’s hard to compete with his fanbase”

Her heart was slowly soaring the more Aries spoke, though it also hurt for her, they both needed to sit down and chat about these self esteem issues. She could also understand the fear of asking someone out, even if you had hundreds of years, that pressure can be terrifying. Especially if the someone whose attention you were trying to catch only saw you as a sibling figure at best, her heart went out for the sheep spirit, she’d had it rough.

The lion spirit in question was completely broken. His mouth was open but nothing was coming out. His gaze switched between the two of them widely, not sure who to focus on or what to do. Finally, he seemed to crack, laughing wildly, almost like a crazed man. Aries flinched beside her and she was about to scold him for laughing at their feelings when he spoke up. 

“Are you telling me that I could have had my dream relationship with you two but you both believed that _I_ wouldn’t want that? That I would somehow reject you both? That, due to my own behaviour, my own playboy ways, I made you both feel like just two more women to me, nowhere near as special and important as you actually are. That if only I had noticed I could have calmed both of your fears, helped you understand what you mean to me and we could have gotten together sooner?”

“Uh…”

“I think maybe there’s a little more to it then-”

He suddenly shot up, standing straight as he looked away from them.

“There’s a cliffside over there right?” He smiled down at them, tone cheerful and upbeat, though his eye twitching made him seem unhinged. “Excuse me while I go toss myself off of it”

He started to move, seemingly intent on following through with his word. Both her and Aries scrambled to get up, to step in front of him, causing him to pause, though he looked no less deranged.

“It’s alright Loke”

“Alright? _Alright?!”_ He grabbed onto her, thankfully having the restraint to not shake her. “Lucy my own stupid actions came to bite me once more and i’m supposed to think it’s fine? When once more I almost lost everything?!”

“Ok, now you’re being a little dramatic”

“No, I don’t think I am”

“Losing us is losing everything?”

“Yes! I love you! I love Aries, I’m in love with you both. To lose you both would break me. But now I’ve found I wouldn’t lose you but rather that you would…you would-” He laughed, grinning from ear to ear as his gaze switched between the two of them “-You really would be my lovely ladies”

She snorted, unable to contain her mirth.

“That’s one way to put it, what do you think Aries? Should we be his?”

“....I want to be the both of yours”

He moved so quickly she almost missed it, but suddenly he was in between them both, arms back around their waists as he held them.

“Why of course, just like I belong to the both of you, there’s no argument here. How about you my beautiful diamond?”

She had to be dreaming, surely this wasn’t happening right? If it was a dream, then she was going to run with it. Exuberant, she couldn’t help but respond in the positive.

“I’m in love with the both of you, if you want this then I want us to be together too. I want us to be in a relationship”

He hugged them both tighter and they finally hugged back, standing there together just felt right, like something finally clicked into place. She could have melted into them and stayed there in peace. But things have to move on and they stepped back, though he kept hold onto their hands, keeping them close. Her joy was mirrored back at her through them, sparking around them and keeping them in high spirits. 

“May I kiss you?”

He surprised her, but he would want to go onto the next step wouldn’t he? Maybe?

“Kiss who?”

“Well, preferably I’d like to give the both of you a kiss, I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time and with no reason anymore to hold myself back, it’s getting really hard to, unless you object of course”

“M-me too?”

He let go of her hand, to gently caress Aries’s cheek. The way he looked at her was so tender, so sweet, her heart squeezed in joy for her. It was amazing that Aries was finally getting the love she deserved.

“May I kiss you Aries?”

“Y-yes...please...”

He leaned in to softly kiss her and she looked away. She turned so she didn’t invade their private moment, feeling slightly out of place. Their first kiss was something special and she didn’t want to intrude but at the same time she wanted to be there. It was a confusing mess that had her slightly stepping away from them. 

A minute or so passed and a hand holding onto her shoulder caught her off guard. She looked up to catch Loke smirking down at her.

“Where do you think you’re going princess? Don’t you want a kiss too?”

She nodded slowly, suddenly very meek. This is exactly what she wanted but there was still a small spark of fear, the fear that she was about to wake up. All that was dispelled however, the moment his lips gently touch hers.

It was a soft kiss, he held her against him as he slowly kissed her. She was stunned for a moment, unable to function under the realisation this was actually happening, before kissing him back. She pressed up against him, feeling heat and want shoot through her veins as she deepened the kiss, determined to kiss the life out of him. She licked his lips and lost herself to the feeling of exploring him and how to make him moan.

When the need for air became apparent, they broke apart, panting slightly as the both flushed at that kiss, apparently neither of them had expected them to get so heated. But who could blame her? She’d only fantasied about this for who knows how long?! It had definitely lived up to the hype in any case. He seemed just as pleased, a dorky lovestruck expression on his face, he was dead to the world and she was maybe a little prideful she could make him like that.

She looked over to Aries, who was blushing darkly hiding behind her fingers and yeah they had really gone a little wild hadn’t they? On shaky feet she stumbled over to Aries before kissing her on her forehead. She timidly removed her hands from her face, smiling shyly up at her and nodding slightly. She kissed her cheek, happy to drown her in gentle affection before softly capturing her lips. 

Their kiss was tame compared to the one with Loke, but no less special to her. The slow and steady movements still warming her heart and soul and she hoped the love pouring out of her was apparent.

She stepped back, breaking the kiss before allowing all the tender love she felt for the sheep spirit to appear on her face, no longer needing to be held back or smothered.

“I love you Aries”

She responded by quietly holding out her hand to be taken, which she gladly held, happy to rub Aries's hand with her thumb.

“I-i love you too Lucy, I love you a lot”

She was pretty sure her heart had stopped, the joy those words had brought her killing her dead. There was no way this was a dream anymore and she revelled in the easy love that had broken free, the dam finally opening to allow her to express everything she had been hiding. It was liberating.

She almost thought the small squee was her, until she saw Loke staring at them with open adoration, she blushed and faced Aries, who looked to be doing no better, to try and protect herself from his onslaught of love.

“You two are just so...so….oooohhh I can't explain it! Seeing you love each other the way I love you is just so, so….”

He let out a small whine, unable to properly vocalise his rising emotions, she could relate, seeing these two support each other made her heart soar like nothing else. There was something so pure in seeing for yourself the love you all had for each other. She didn’t have to let him know that though. With a small grin that Gemini would have been proud of, she squeezed Aries’s hand, grabbing her attention.

“It’s true that I really do love you, so how about we go on a date? Just the two of us?”

“Just the two-”

“Just us?...I-i’d like that, when can we go?”

“Hey now-”

“Now?”

“Um, Excuse me?!”

They both finally looked to Loke, who’d at some point wandered over, he was pouting childishly, not amused in the slightest.

“Yes Loke? Can we help you?”

“Yes you can. You see it makes sense to me that the first date in our group consists of all three of us. In others words, don’t leave me behind...please?”

He tilted his head, giving her his best kitty cat eyes, not that they were really needed. She happily held out her hand for him, which he gleefully took, practically shaking it with his excitement.

“We wouldn’t leave you behind silly”

“Of course not Leo, we both want you to come along”

“Phew, you almost broke my heart you scoundrels, you played me on purpose didn't you?” She got the feeling her answering innocent look wasn’t so innocent, considering his huff. “So where are we going?”

“Uh…”

“You really are a master planner Lucy”

She almost slapped him, but she supposed she deserved that, all's fair in love and all that. She’d just get him back better next time. Her musing was thankfully interrupted by Aries.

“S-since we all know each other's feelings...I’m sorry if i’m being presumptuous, but isn’t this a date?”

Bless Aries, the calm breeze that soothed her and fixed her problems. That’s exactly right, why couldn’t they call this a date. Wait a second that meant…

_Holy stars I’m on a date with Loke and Aries!_

Triumph and glee bubbled up inside her, this was officially the best day of her life, no objections. She was practically buzzing, beaming at Aries as she nodded vigorously, she wanted to agree, but got beaten to the punch.

“You’re absolutely right! Why, you’re so smart Aries!” He was between them again, how did he do that? “I know you wanted to be in the middle Lucy on our little relaxation date but...may I suggest something?”

She didn’t trust his smirk, but curiosity got the better of her, he was always a little unpredictable. 

“Go on”

He promptly sat down, crossing his legs and beamed up at her, patting his knees.

“How about sitting one on each knee? That way we can all be close to each other and hold or kiss each other as we want”

She shared a bemused glance with Aries before crossing her arms, unimpressed.

“You just want two pretty girls on you”

“Well….I won’t deny that is a perk yes but I genuinely believe we can be closest like this. Now come, sit down and let’s talk about where I’m treating you both to on our second date”

She snorted before plopping down onto his right knee, leaning back against his shoulder.

“What do you mean treating us?”

He frowned down at her, despite getting what he wanted, that must have taken a lot of self control.

“Well I’m not letting you pay for anything, you neither Aries”

The shy spirit had slowly sat down on his other knee, idle arms wrapped around both of their waists as he hugged them. Unconsciously dotting on them in spite of the point he was trying to make.

“B-but you can't keep treating us, that’s not equal! We should all decide on s-somewhere and then all contribute….that seems fairer”

“I guess, but I enjoy spoiling you, I don’t wanna stop doing that”

She came to the rescue, not about to let the point be dropped, she’d made a very good one.

“She’s not saying we’ll never treat each other, surprises are nice and always welcome but there’s nothing wrong with structured dates either, especially since we want you to feel loved too”

He sighed, nuzzling them both.

“I already feel loved, oh you always make this so hard for me!” He planted a quick kiss on their cheeks, whining out his frustration. All he earned was a roll of the eyes from her and a small giggle from Aries. “So stubborn about not being spoiled”

“And you’re stubborn about always being the one doing the spoiling! If we weren’t the ones you loved I’d worry about you getting taken advantage of!”

“She’s right Leo...you need to relax and let other people take over sometimes…”

His gaze slowly moved from one to the other, gears in his brain turning, he seemed unable to come up with a way out of this however.

“Ok, ok you win” Try as he might to seem defeated, his soft smile betrayed his true feelings. “Let’s talk about our future together and how we’re going to equally love each other, better?”

“Much, let's start with how you you've done what you set out to do today, the both of you. You've made my deepest wish come true, thank you"

"Oh stars Lucy you're too much"

He was beaming through a blush, it suited him, as he stared affectionately at her. Aries was no better, looking at her in awe.

"You too! You made my wish come true!"

Ah that's what Loke meant, she could just yell with the amount of affection that one statement poured from her. He really was an awful influence on her, funny considering all he complains about her influencing Aries. Maybe in that sense, they really do bring out the more extreme emotions out of each other, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Really?...Thank you Aries...Well now I know what I want next. I want to create more memories with you both, regardless of how strange or silly they are, you two are far from normal in your own ways, but I want to revel in this new relationship. I want us to enjoy today and every day after.”

“Of course Lucy love! We'll always be together! To new memories!”

“N-new memories! Oh...and new love!”

She grinned as Loke once more caught their cheeks with a kiss, a much more cheerful one this time. Their smiles turned to laughter as, egged on by them, he kissed them both repeatedly, only stopping when they teamed up to kiss him at the same time, effectively breaking him and causing him to lay down, flustered and red. There was a 2 to 1 agreement that he looked much cuter like that. He’d never live how he stammered around them down for the rest of his life, even though he had done his best to move the conversation onward to other topics, the stars, spirits, friends, families, hobbies. They chatted and laughed but, unfortunately for him, a lot of it was aimed at him, not with him.

And so began their many fun and love filled days together, a trio of hearts finally allowed to beat together as one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the day continued with Loke being terrorised by a newly brave Aries and a bad influence Lucy, but loved every moment of it.


End file.
